New CGA Aimster Mom

My daughter is away at AIM at the USCGA this week. I'm missing her and was surfing all over the Web trying to found reviews and personal experiences from people who have gone before her when I found this site. She's very excited about the USCGA after being contacted by the softball coach. My husband and I both served four years in the Air Force, so we think this would be a great opportunity for her. It will be interesting to hear what she thinks after going through AIM. If anyone out there has a personal story to share about their AIM experience, I would love to read it.

I'm retired air force, but my current boss is retired coast guard. We tease each other because he went to the coast guard academy and i went air force, but he's from Wyoming. (we don't have a lot of water. not too many people going coast guard or navy). Anyway; from our discussions, the Coast Guard AIM and the other academy's summer seminar programs, seem to be relatively the same.

Give the high school student the opportunity to see cadet life first hand. Even have a day or so of being treated like cadets. Get exposed to the classrooms, academics, etc...

I've been involved with quite a few individuals who have spent time at the various summer seminar programs. (None to the coast guard aim unfortunately). I've not found one person who didn't get a lot out of the program. Whether it was army, navy, or air force, they all got a lot out of it. Sometimes, the individual decides after summer seminar, that military life isn't for them. We had a young lady that was basically guaranteed an appointment. Straight A's; aced the ACT; triple athlete; recruited athlete; small state; multiple nominations awaiting her; etc... Basically a guarantee. She came back from summer seminar at air force and basically said: "No way in hell can I do that". She just graduated from Yale University. But even she said that summer seminar is an excellent opportunity if you can get it. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be selected. My son loved it. So did everyone I ever spoke with. Some chose not to take an appointment. Some, it inspired them even more to apply. But all in all, they all thought it was informative, interesting, and very insightful.

Either way, I think your daughter will come back with a much deeper understanding of the coast guard. she'll know if she wants that life or not. I wish her the best of luck in her future and choices. Mike....

Thanks Mike. I agree wholeheartedly with you. Both my husband and I felt that even if she came back with a changed opinion about wanting to attend the USCGA, the experience would still be impactful and worth it. It really is right up her alley, though, so I'll be surprised if it turns her off versus solidifying her conviction that a service academy is the route for her. Because she's being recruited by the softball coach as a catcher, I took her to watch the USCGA Bears play a tournament in Florida. (Also took her to watch West Point play). Afterward, she got to meet the coaches and some of the players. She said to me, "Mom, those girls are like women. They are so well put together." She could see immediately the difference that military bearing makes. She asked one of them, "What made you decide to go to West Point." And the cadet answered, "I just never wanted to go to the party school." She liked that answer. One of the Dads was telling her that there are definitely hard times and sometimes the cadets start feeling like it's tough or they're not measuring up. But he reminded her that only the best and brightest are admitted, so even though there might be times you'll feel mediocre at the Academy, you have to remember that you are swimming with the best fish in the sea. I told her to look over at the row of athletes in the dugout and told her those were our nation's next generation of the very brightest female leaders. I applaud all the cadets ... past, present and future ... because you are truly awesome!!!!! If my daughter is fortunate enough to join the ranks, I will be the proudest mom on the planet.

Thanks Mike. I agree wholeheartedly with you. Both my husband and I felt that even if she came back with a changed opinion about wanting to attend the USCGA, the experience would still be impactful and worth it. It really is right up her alley, though, so I'll be surprised if it turns her off versus solidifying her conviction that a service academy is the route for her. Because she's being recruited by the softball coach as a catcher, I took her to watch the USCGA Bears play a tournament in Florida. (Also took her to watch West Point play). Afterward, she got to meet the coaches and some of the players. She said to me, "Mom, those girls are like women. They are so well put together." She could see immediately the difference that military bearing makes. She asked one of them, "What made you decide to go to West Point." And the cadet answered, "I just never wanted to go to the party school." She liked that answer. One of the Dads was telling her that there are definitely hard times and sometimes the cadets start feeling like it's tough or they're not measuring up. But he reminded her that only the best and brightest are admitted, so even though there might be times you'll feel mediocre at the Academy, you have to remember that you are swimming with the best fish in the sea. I told her to look over at the row of athletes in the dugout and told her those were our nation's next generation of the very brightest female leaders. I applaud all the cadets ... past, present and future ... because you are truly awesome!!!!! If my daughter is fortunate enough to join the ranks, I will be the proudest mom on the planet.

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Most kids come back from AIM with a clear understanding of "yes" or "no" which is the purpose. Not really designed for the AIMster to impress the academy, but for the academy to impress the AIMster (although some LOA's have been issued in the past using AIM performance as one of the criteria).

For some AIMsters, they can't wait to begin the application. For others, they can't wait for their parent's to pick them up to get out of there.

Many who have attended multiple summer sessions (either SLS, NASS, or AFSS) have consistently ranked their AIM experience as the best.

PS - It's too bad that she is a year behind an opportunity to catch one of the greatest pitchers in D3 softball history, who will be a 1/c this year.

PS - It's too bad that she is a year behind an opportunity to catch one of the greatest pitchers in D3 softball history, who will be a 1/c this year.

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We watched Hayley Feindel pitch when they played a tournament in Kissimmee. We also got to watch Amanda Frederick catch, and she spoke with my daughter a little bit after the game. That sure made her hungry to be a Bear.